


Beauty and the Beast

by Elvis_Stitch



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Developing Friendships, Developing Relationship, F/M, Giovanni is an ass, Learning the cold hard truth, Mewtwoxhuman, Sexual Content, Some violence and heavy themes, Team Rocket (Pokemon), Team Rocket - Freeform, trainer - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-04
Updated: 2020-01-04
Packaged: 2021-02-27 09:48:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,149
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22115146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elvis_Stitch/pseuds/Elvis_Stitch
Summary: DiscontinuedGiovanni's latest recruit is cold, relentless and in some cases, heartless. After a successful first mission, she is assigned to train his newest Pokemon Mewtwo after another agent fails. Through the hardships, a dark secret is revealed. What happens when the one you deem closest wants your blood on their hands?
Relationships: Mewtwo (Pokemon)/Original Character(s)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 15





	1. Recruitment

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Pokémon is the sole property of Nintendo, Game Freak and The Pokémon Company, with the rightful creators being Satoshi Tajiri and Ken Sugimori. I do not claim to own any of the characters associated with the franchise in this story, only the ones I have created. There is no profit to be made from this story, it is merely fan-fiction for others to read and enjoy.
> 
> Warning: This story will contain significant interactions between a Pokémon and a human, in which case romance will be involved. If this idea squicks you, turn back now and don't bother reading. Adult themes, coarse language, drug/alcohol abuse, violence, death and mild depictions of sex and sexual interaction will be introduced in later chapters. This story is intended for a mature audience.
> 
> Authors Note: An idea that's been bottled in my head for a few days, I have decided to get it down in the form of a fan-fiction. Inspiration for this story has come from 'The Mewtwo File' and 'Angelic Shadows' two fantastic fan-fictions I would recommend, especially for other Mewtwo fans such as myself.

_Slumping against the rough textured surface, her tired body descended, and she collapsed to the ground against the wall. Her clothes were battered and torn, exposing her skin to the elements, but the pain barely registered in her mind. The gun she was holding, slipped from her grasp and fell to the concrete below, her hands far too cold now to even perform a basic grip. A soft mist formed before her as each breath left her mouth. She was exhausted._

_Arching her head back, she coughed. Her body heaved from the exertion she'd previously endorsed upon herself. She wanted to move. Get up and get out of there. She knew she had to keep going, get away, but her muscles denied her, refusing to obey her commands no matter how much she willed it. For the time being, she remained how she was._

_"Shit…"_

_Forcing open an eye, she looked towards her magnum. It wasn't within her reach and in her current state, it would not be easy to get. They would be after her soon. It was only a matter of time. She let out a strangled cry of pain, practically forcing her muscles into submission as she reached for the weapon. It was her only chance if she wished to get out of there unscathed. Alive, even. She was all but one against an army._

_As the distance between her outstretched hand and the weapon narrowed, her efforts only proved futile when the weapon was kicked away by a boot. A dull clatter echoed, and her gun vanished into the cold depths surrounding them. Withering, she looked up at the man before her. Cloaked entirely from the shoulders down, only his head and facial features were visible. Annoyance was apparent on his face and he brushed back his silver hair, some of it blowing into his eye._

_" You asshole! How the fuck am I supposed to do anything now? You know that's all I got to rely on!"_

_He smirked at her, head tiling just the slightest bit. Her words didn't bother him, but more so amused him. Instead of backing away from the raging female, he kneeled beside her, reaching out to put a hand over her stomach. He was used to her mood shifts, and at a time like now, it really was the least of his concerns._

_He had expected her to lash out, hit him (not that she could hurt him in her weakened state) or even just ignore him, but instead her heard her sigh. The mellow sound almost soothed him, even if it was short. His small reassurance that she was not truly angry at him, but more so at the situation they were in. For now, whether she had the weapon or not was not a concern to him._

_"Why are you still here…? she voiced. "Do you want to be caught?"_

_He shook his head. "You know why, Lydia."_

_Reaching out his hand from her stomach, he encased it into her own. She was tense, but their grips intertwined. She was shaking beneath him, most likely not just from the harsh weather. Adrenaline surged through her body, giving her that small kick she needed to defend herself from the army that was upon her._

_"I do not want you to regret this, nor anything else of the past eleven months," he closed his eyes as he spoke. "I must do what I can not only for your sake… but…" he trailed off._

_"Idiot…" she said sternly, but smiled. "You still think I'd regret it? Perhaps that second neck of yours needs a good twist."_

_"I have told you countless times before, it is- "_

_"Not a second neck, but an external passage way of nerves and blah and so and so. Save it, boy. Now ain't the time."_

_She laughed, but looking at her he could see the substantial amount of pain in her eyes. No matter how tightly she hid her emotions from him. She was a dark one. Ruthless and cunning. But she was also human, and all humans had their flaws._

_He gave a small nod, before his eyes met hers. She stared back at him, no expression on her face. Even after all this time, she still froze under that sharp gaze. She could never understand how he could make her submit to him just by looking at her. His eyes had a certain deepness to them; a certain mystery. He had many secrets locked away, his mental walls enclosing the remanents of a disturbing and fearful past. Some of which she had access to during the time she had been by his side. Others, to dark for her to understand and too complicated for her to even begin to understand._

_She'd never met anybody like him. She never would meet another like him._

_"Are you sure about this? Once I proceed, there is no turning back. Your memories of me and all that has transpired between us will be sealed away. If such an action can be undone, only time will tell."_

_Lydia grabbed his hands, tearing herself away from that deep gaze for a moment to open her mouth and speak. "You said so yourself, what other choice do we have? I can wait. One, three, nine years even, I promise I'll wait for you. If this needs to be done to ensure a future for us, then we have no choice. You heard him. That man you confided in. He wants your blood on his hands. He doesn't want you to be happy. You're nothing to him, and you never were."_

_Rhyss looked away from her. The pain of his last encounter with the man still very fresh in his mind. The man he'd confided in for so long. The man he called his very own brother. No… he'd never anticipated this…_

_"But fuck him. FUCK him. We will meet again. And when we do…" she smiled at him, before placing his hand onto her stomach again. "You'll finally have somebody that loves you for who you are. No matter what others think… we can work. I know we can! I'm doing this for you. Isn't that enough to prove to you that I won't ever give up on you? I will gladly turn my back on society, just to spend a lifetime of bliss with you."_

_"Yes. Very much so," he responded. "As I would, you. Not that I am one to belong in the first place."_

_The two gazed at each other, before a loud yell startled them back to reality. It would only be a matter of minutes before they were found. To others, what they had done was unspeakable. Slain and treacherous – bending every moral and taboo man had ever come to create in the most despicable way possible. Heinous. Disgusting, even. But to them, it mattered not. They had each other, and that was all that concerned them. They could live with the harsh and judgemental opinions, but they could not live without each other. Both knew that deep down, the only way they could ensure they could be together was so submit to society. Let them think they had won. If it meant they had to end the love they shared, then so they would. They would do whatever ever they needed to do._

_"Do it."_

_Rhyss let out a choked sigh, raising a hand to her head. He truly did not want to do this._

_"Whenever you see the moon arise in the night sky, know this. No matter where you may be, no matter how hard times are, I will be somewhere, reflecting your gaze, solely waiting for the one day that we can be together again, whether it be with our unborn child, or without. I love you, Lydia."_

_Lydia reached up towards him, her lips meeting his. They shared one final kiss. Just one, but it was enough._

_"I will always wait for that day. I love you…"_

_Taking her hand, he placed it over the crescent moon shaped necklace around her neck. His final gift to her._

_"So long… my one and only."_

_A tear escaped her closed eyes, before he proceeded to erase her memory of him and all that had happened between them over the course of the past eleven months. Withdrawing his hand, he looked up as two black clad men rounded the corner, spotting his tall frame._

_"There!" one of them shouted, and they raised their assault rifles, only to fire at air._

_As Lydia slipped into the brink of unconsciousness, and her thoughts started to dissolve away, one final figure appeared in her mind's eye, and a set of intense amethyst eyes bored deep into her very soul. Her saviour, her soulmate. Her one and only._

_And then, he was gone._

* * *

**Chapter 1: Recruitment**

**Team Rocket Base Operation Headquarters and Recruitment Facilities (TRBOHRF)**  
**Two years prior**

The darkness of the room displeased the five waiting agents inside. But nothing was said. Not one of them dared move a muscle, knowing that their every action was judged and recorded by a source unknown to them. One wrong word… one wrong glimpse and they would be cast back out of the door, back onto the harsh city streets like their time there had never occurred in the first place. Their welfare was the least of their problems. To the organization, anyway. Its many employees were merely the tools of the trade; necessary to keep the business strong, but not particularly needed and cared for were the situation otherwise. Losing six hundred employees would be no different to losing five; they would not be impacted. The organization was at its prime, with facilities spanning all over the globe. It was biggest thing to hit the global share market in decades. Billions of dollars and investments ensured the company's doors were kept open, and Pokémon trade was at its peak. And the companies head ensured that the business always ran smoothly, whether it was strictly confidential, or public.

Sakaki Narukashita was currently listed as the richest man in the world. Known to the world as simply Giovanni from his Japanese-Italian heritage, the leader of Team Rocket did nothing, nor showed no significant interest in basking in his fame. He was simply a business man, and a hard one at that.

The five agents tensed, when an announcement was made, jolting them out of their racked thoughts. A name was called, and the attention of the four other agents was directed to the first agent. They all sat lined against the wall, dull metallic chairs supporting their weight. Given the hour they'd previously had reading pamphlets of information, they'd had plenty of time to identify each other. Standing up, the short blonde haired girl left the area, disappearing though a metal door which had opened before them. It was an unusual sight. The girl appeared only young, and certainly did not look like the type that would work for an organisation such as Team Rocket. Then again, looks were always deceiving.

Sitting second to last in the silent row, a green eyed brunette with shoulder length hair cast a glimpse towards her competitor as she vanished through the doorway. Her adversary. Only two of them would be recruited, while the others would simply be cast back out the way they came in. Team Rocket weren't the friendliest when it came to recruiting new agents, their staff cold and formidable. A strong will was a must here, and if an agent could not live up to that, then they suffered the consequences. She knew all too well what those consequences were.

As she scanned over the pamphlets in her lap, a smirk issued on her face. Domino? That's what the girl called herself? How ridiculous. Surely it wasn't her real name. Then again, she didn't know whether or not members of Team Rocket were allowed to disclose their names. She'd put her full name down when they'd gotten in contact with her to come in for an interview. However, she'd felt one of the reason's she'd gotten in was because of the fact her father had significant relations with the leader himself. They'd known each other for years. As she re-read down the list of qualified applicants, she stared at her name.

Lydianna Bridgette Melrose.

She'd never been the type to question her name. Only, she did shorten it to Lydia and adapted to referring to herself as that. Over the years she'd trained long and hard to follow in the footsteps of her father. She was a ruthless and cunning girl. Others did not bother her and never would, ultimately paying the price if they did so. Her past had become significantly dark during her teenage years and she'd harboured many feelings of resentment and bitterness towards the outside world. She despised humanity and even got a high from inflicting damage to others, especially those that had caused damage to her. Even her mother's death had not quelled her. Perhaps this was why she'd been picked from the other thousands of applicants. They saw her multiple suspensions and incarcerations as an opening. She was a hard soul, and once such as herself was hard, but not impossible, to come by.

Within twenty minutes of the Domino girl being whisked away, the intercom once again announced another agent to proceed inside. If Lydia's heart was pounding, or she was nervous, there was no way in hell she showed it. Her outer shell of resentment buried away any signs of emotion or fear she had. Though, deep down, she was still a human. Even if her outer appearance masked any laboured feelings, she could not repress her inner turmoils and conflict.

So Giovanni was the biggest thing right now. Possibly on the entire planet. She knew the police were after the organizations biggest mafia boss, but so far nothing had been done to disrupt his reign. She supposed even the police were powerless to stop him with the billions he possessed. She didn't feel privileged, nor did she feel proud that she'd gotten herself an interview. She was neutral about it. If it meant a living for her, then so be it. She could use some extra cash.

The blonde appeared a short time later, holding a confidential folder. An arrogant grin plastered her features while the other interviewees looked at her in wonder. Lydia didn't give a shit whether or not she'd got the job, let alone the others in the room with her. She just cared about what she got.  
The blonde's attitude pissed her off to say the least. Avoiding eye contact with the girl, she looked back down towards her pamphlets. When her name was finally called, she stood up wordlessly and proceeded through the metal door she'd been wondering about for the past hour.

A maze of corridors greeted her, though there was an agent on the other side that led her towards her destination. He spoke no words, just gesturing for her to follow. Upon arrival, a large set of metallic doors opened and allowed her entrance. Inside, the boss himself looked out towards her, before gesturing with his head towards a seat opposite his desk. Were gestures all they seemed to do at this place? Didn't they ever speak?

Lydia proceeded forward, acknowledging the boss with a small bow before taking the seat offered to her. His Persian beside him growled in some form of acknowledgement.

"So now. Melrose's kid. Quite an impressive résumé you have here. Though I am inclined to inform you that the reason you are sitting where you are is not because of the fact your father and I have close ties."

Giovanni looked at her, raising an eyebrow.

"I figured just as much," Lydia replied courteously. "Why am I here?"

"Why shouldn't you be here? You meet our – or should I say, my, requirements quite well. One's like you are hard to come by, my girl."

Lydia just looked at him. Her potential boss. Though, the thought still didn't faze her. She didn't buckle under pressure easily. Giovanni seemed to notice this.

"You seem rather content there."

She just gave a brief nod.

"Anyhow, I will get to the point, as I have another applicant to attend to. As with the other agents up for potential recruitment, your first… 'task,' if you will, is to perform a successful assassination. You complete this task, you're in. If not, I will discard you in the appropriate manner. Only if you are capable of succeeding will my decision be final on whom I select to join my organization. The weak suffer and fall, but the strong stand tall and rise up."

Lydia nodded. "I see."

"However, do not think I will go easy on you for the sole reason your father and I have close ties, as mentioned beforehand."

"Yes, I am aware of that," Lydia replied. "I do not expect you to make my life easier because of the fact you know my dad."

"Precisely," Giovanni responded. "Now, take this. I will be in contact in approximately three days to inform you when your designated target becomes available. Good day to you, Miss Melrose."

"Goodbye sir. Thank you for your time."

Giovanni regarded her with a brief nod, before arching his hand slightly to allow his Persian to nuzzle it in affection. Lydia made eye contact with the Pokémon for a moment, before stepping back out of the office.

So an assassination was required of her. It would be her first one, her other sinister deeds not quite as big as the one Giovanni wanted. No matter, as task was a task. If she could do it, and do it well, she'd be in. She wondered who the unlucky victim was as she passed back through the now vacant waiting area. Only the final applicant remained there, and he glanced at her warily as she passed. Lydia caught a glimpse of turquoise eyes and black hair. The boy looked quite young, as had the Domino girl. Lydia was mildly surprised, wondering what exactly the recruitment age was. She'd been 23 when she had applied; her 24th birthday coming shortly after she'd received her invitation for an interview. She was momentarily distracted as the intercom once again made an announcement for the final applicant to proceed into Giovanni's lair. Casting a glimpse back towards the boy, she smirked slightly. He looked like a typical kid she'd see out playing four-square with a group of friends. He must've had a pretty damn good résumé to get so far.

Lydia was escorted back outside, nobody there to meet her or see her back to her apartment. The staff of Team Rocket were not passive in the slightest. Looking up towards the grey depths of the sky above, the woman stuck her hands into the pockets of her business clothes and proceeded the short distance back home, passing people and Pokémon alike. She'd inherited her father's stern features and her mother's repressed personality. She was not one to socialize, and the thought of it irked her more so than pleased her. As she walked, the pondered upon the task designated to her. What exactly would it involve? Would she have to leave the country for it? Lydia had travelled in her time, but never alone.

As morbid as it sounded, Lydia was intrigued and felt the slightest bit of excitement well up in the pits of her stomach. This was going to be tedious. Would her victim be human or Pokémon? And what were the mafia bosses intentions for assigning assassination cases to potential new recruits? As strange as the task undeniably was, especially for a first one, she did not dare question the motives of the man. He probably had his reasons for it. Likewise, she had her reasons for wanting a position there in the first place.

The wind started to pick up. Shoving her hands deeper into the depths of her pockets, the woman quickened her pace as she made her way home.


	2. Assassination

_Paulo Rodgeoueirz_

Lydia scanned over the name a few times, holding the letter tightly in her grip. True to his promise as of three days beforehand, Giovanni had ensured the letter had been delivered to her address a little over two hours ago. It had not been delivered by post, but by an agent dressed in a black Rocket uniform, coat on to disguise the obvious 'R' emblazoned on the front of his uniform. He did not address her, simply handing her the sealed envelope and then turning his back and walking away.

She eyed him closely as he left, unable to help but note the obvious limp in his walk as he vanished around the corner. A past only known to him, and him alone.

Now the woman sat on the corner of her bed, running a finger along the top corner of the letter. The man was in his prime, by the looks of it, wealthy and successful with three kids. Spoiled brats by the sounds of it. Kids infuriated Lydia to the point she would willingly storm over to an incompetent parent and punch them in the face; a manner that was by no means acceptable, but a relatively short fuse saw to it that the woman could take a stand for herself when she needed to. Screaming kids hacking away through a pounding migraine was not what she needed to deal with during the rare moments she had to herself. That was not to say she wanted her own some day, but with the circumstances of her current life the idea was by far the least of her priorities.

Giovanni was straight to the point with his synopsis.

_'The target owns and operates a fertilization company. Despite not much to the outer eye, what is harnessed beneath the walls of the factory has prompted immediate response, and I have assigned you to this particular task because I believe you are more than capable of proving your grounds to me and my organization. Rodgeoueirz operates a self-maintained drug cartel. He has established quite the reputation in the underground markets, so consider this to be no easy task. Rodgeoueirz has an entire team of personal working alongside him, protecting and guarding his every moment. All accept one. This is when you are to make your move. How you do so is up to you, but I have included everything you will require to seek his location. Any questions you are to contact me on my direct line NOTHING else. Failure to terminate the target will result in expulsion and I do not provide second chances. Use your time wisely. Your allocated time-span is:_

5 days, 3 hours, 42 minutes, 17 seconds.'

An agent will arrive to you once your task is complete. They will provide you transport back to the facilities where I will review your assassination. Once reviewed you are to see me two days later and we shall proceed from there.

Lydia arched an eyebrow. Five days was more than enough; Giovanni was being far too lenient with her and part of her made her wonder whether or not he had acted on the fact the family were well acquainted. She hoped not. She wanted to prove herself to her potential boss without any strings attached. The idea disgusted her, even more so when she realised her mark was only a few hours south from where she was. Not even a plane trip in store for her? She didn't want priority! She wanted equality. Still, a task was a task and she wasn't going to complain about it, just accept it and do what was required of her. While the man had made the journey easy for her, he'd insured she had a difficult mark. It was either one way or the other, she realised as she scanned over the documentation again and a picture fell out from between the papers on to her lap.

The man looked like a dick. A pair of Bentley's across his eyes and the multiple chains of golden bling around his neck almost made her eyes water. Seeing a type before her that had no consideration of others, only himself, the woman mused as to what business this ring-leader had with Giovanni and why he was chosen for assassination. She knew that Giovanni had ties all over the world, but if one crossed the line with the man then that was it, time was up. His men were ruthless and could hunt down targets even in the most extreme circumstances, nobody was safe. Wealth and power ensured Giovanni always got what he wanted, ensuring his rise to fame as one of the highest ranking bosses of the mafia world. And of course, the members of Team Rocket were cold and relentless, just like the boss himself. He only chose the best.

Lydia wasn't alien to neutral emotions. In fact, the plateau of emotions that made up her personality and driven her to the woman she was today stemmed long before she even had the chance to reason. Cold memories of her past would often plague her mind, haunt her dreams and almost force her to the brink of insanity. Only, she had yet to snap, as so many others had before her. She'd been through a lot during her childhood and had developed a brick wall around her emotions. As a result, Lydia just didn't care about others. Human or Pokémon, she couldn't bring herself to understand anybody else, and she would never try. Her father had ensured that...

After the death of her mother many years ago she had sealed her emotions away. Lydia hadn't cried as her body was brought forth for identification, more so harnessing a deep internal rage that had brewed from the very moment she'd stared into her mothers cold, lifeless eyes. Her father had been distraught, which surprised her. The man had never shown any kind of remorse beforehand, but she'd figured her mother had at least been the bridge that kept him sane and rational. Her mother's killer hadn't been identified until years later. He'd been arrested and sentenced to life in prison, but Lydia's punishment was eternal. She may not have been the closest with her mother, but she still was her mother right up until the end of her life. Her death had been a motivation for Lydia. She wasn't out to hurt the innocent, but those that committed sin and devoted a lifetime to treachery and scam deserved a death sentence in her eyes and she had since strived to make it happen in any way she could. She loathed those who got everything they wanted and never lifted a finger in return to earn it. Her target was one of those people. The 'bane of humanity' she called them. His ego and status disgusted her and only fuelled her motivation to carry out the assassination promptly and to the best of her ability.

Lydia pocketed the letter, going into her bedroom and opening up the safe underneath her bed to reveal an old Baretta M9; her first and only. A hand-me-down from her father, Lydia had only ever really mastered using the gun in the past two or so years, but she found herself to be a natural at it. She had used it on a few occasions in the past, but never on a living target. Her training had been rudimentary and most of the techniques involved she'd had to learn for herself. Aside from the gun, Lydia had quite some sophisticated technology at her disposal, thanks to her father. She loaded her gun, so it was ready and then claimed her sniper.

As this would be her first assassination, Lydia was fairly unsure as to how things would play out but she knew that it was time for all of her experience and training to come into play. While daunting, the task didn't sway her in the slightest. Despite the assassination would only take a few hours at best, she'd been preparing for this moment for years. Working under an organization such as Team Rocket had never really been the main priority on her list, so she had been surprised to receive an invitation, especially from none other than Giovanni himself. She hadn't believed herself to be that impressive or capable of his expectations, but Giovanni was willing to give her a chance and that was all that mattered.

Her preferred outfit was simple - black khakis with a brown buckle, an olive tank top. The ultimate goal was not to draw too much suspicion to herself. Grabbing her equipment, Lydia left her apartment once dark set in, using only dim lit backstreets as a route to the targets address. Her heart pounded wildly in her chest, driven purely by the exhilaration and propelling her deeper into the night. It was at least another half hour before she reached the address. Pulling out the letter to confirm she was in the right location, Lydia looked up at the building before her.

**_Hersher's Fertilisation Co._ **   
**_Established 1945._ **

Lydia scoffed slightly. This was the place.

The factory consisted of two sections – a main building and the plant itself, located behind. Creeping past the gates, the young woman made her entrance into the facility and towards a new chapter in her life.

As a result of an active childhood involving callisthenics and sports, she was swift and agile. While she wasn't tall by any means, her legs were lean and powerful. She could run and escape from any situation with ease. A quick thinking mind was just one part of her powerful physical arsenal. Lydia was smarter than most and had breezed through her education. The streaks of moonlight that hit her as she ran towards the entrance of the building revealed her athletic frame, but illuminated the various scars on her body. Like others, the woman had secrets long buried within the past.

The front building itself wasn't very much to look at upon closer inspection. Cracks littered 99% of the walls and gaping holes spread about the roof. It was an average, everyday run down dump of a place. Looking through a hole into the building itself through a broken window didn't reveal much to her, only a darkened factory. She was sure there were cameras here somewhere though, so she remained hidden the best she could, especially from the corners of the building. Mapping the building out was easy enough, but the inside was another story. She had had no where the target would be and if there would be others with him or not. Giovanni's letter had highlighted that there was only one given opportunity she would have to strike.

' _Perfect place for a drug cartel. Hell, I would have even thought otherwise.'_

Lydia paced the boundary of the factory for at least an hour until she was finally aware of voices.

Hiding behind a crate, she could see two men step out from the building clad in black business attire and communication devices in their ears. Two body guards, she realised noting the bulletproof vests. They remained stationary at the front of the building until her target made his appearance. In person, Paulo wasn't anything how he appeared in the picture but Lydia didn't doubt Giovanni for a second. Even though he didn't resemble the picture, the man's overall physical build made him look like the leader of a cartel. The smoke billowing out of his mouth from his Montecristo didn't faze the other two men in the slightest, but to Lydia the smell was sickening. She hated cigars.

Aiming her sniper, she kept her hand steady despite she could feel herself shaking much to her annoyance. Was she really going to do this, here and now? She had an easy enough escape route mapped out. It was just down to her now to carry out the kill. But right when she was about to pull the trigger, she heard a kids voice. Eyes flying open, she jerked the gun back and looked to see a boy of about twelve with his arms around the targets waist.

' _Shit. Now what.'_

The two body guards eventually moved off after a lengthy discussion, escorting Paulo towards a black Mercedes. The child followed and climbed into the car first before his father. Acting fast, Lydia pulled a small device that somewhat resembled a dart gun and shot at the bumper of the car with seconds before it sped off and disappeared from view.

Wiping her brow, she smirked and flipped open a tracking device, attaching it to her wrist after pulling it from her arsenal. The gun had planted a tracking device on the bumper and would allow her to keep tabs on the target's location for the next four hours, provided she remained vigilant. All he needed to do was go back to his residence then Lydia would be set.

Tapping into more of the technology she'd brought with her after that, she pulled up a small device which enabled her to hack nearby radio signals. Listening in to their conversations as she started to follow, she realised they were escorting Paulo back to his home, clarifying to her that he was indeed heading back to his residence. She barely managed to get the address as one of the guards instructed the driver where to go, but it was clear enough. The tracking device would also do its job for her.

Lydia scoffed when she saw the driver, revolted by the man's prestigious lifestyle. As Lydia followed the car, she pondered on what possible time her target would be unprotected by the body guards. There was only one she could think of.

She knew she would have to move fast.

Racing from the factory and leaping over the gate, Lydia ran the fifteen blocks she needed to go to reach the residence of her target. He lived in an upper floor apartment on outer suburbs of the town, rendering it somewhat inconspicuous. Expecting something a bit more upper class considering his rank, Lydia wasn't oblivious as to why he would choose such an area. Obviously the safety of his brat-pack and wife came first and foremost. She paused for a moment to catch her breath before continuing on. After arriving at the building, Lydia didn't enter it, instead opting to enter the complex across the street. She scaled up to the top floor, breaking through the passageway to the roof and teetering out towards the edge of the building, looking down below and pulling out her binoculars, aiming them into the 11th floor of the complex. She switched the binoculars to thermal mode, enabling her to see who was in the building.

Her target hadn't arrived yet, but according to the tracker, they'd stopped for something to eat on the way home. Lydia used that time to scope out Rodgeoueirz home, switching her binoculars so that she could see inside the complex. His wife and two other children were in one room, located to the far right. Behind that was the bathroom.

Poised and ready with her gun, Lydia waited until Rodgeoueirz came home. The bodyguards followed him up to his apartment, one of them stationing themselves outside while the other one stood watch in the window.

' _FUCK!'_

Lydia ducked out of view. She'd expected something like this to happen.

Calming herself, she peered out from behind an air duct. While still positioned at the window, the bodyguard wasn't facing her direction. Lydia wasn't too worried about him, but more so focused on what Paulo was doing. She only had one chance when he would be unprotected, and Lydia didn't know how many guards there would be. Until she felt a blow to the side of her hip.

"AH!" she screamed out in pain, turning to find a gun pointed right in her face. It was a security guard. He must have seen her enter the roof.

"What the HELL do you think you're doing bitch?"

Lydia sneered. Her face was masked so he wouldn't be able to recognize her, but she kept her head away from him.

The guard pulled out a walkie-talkie and started to radio, but acting instinctively, Lydia kicked the gun away from him with her foot while he was distracted by that and before he could react she kneed him in the groin. The guard fell down in pain, and she stuck him on the head to knock him unconscious.

Whipping the sniper back, she positioned herself, aiming it for her mark, distinguishing him from the others as she peered through the scope. The bodyguards were still where they had been, but Lydia was unsure if the one looking out of the window had seen the commotion. She figured he hadn't when she noticed the position he was facing, and wiped her brow again. It was getting pretty hot underneath her mask now. The roof she was on was at least four floors above the Rodgeoueirz apartment so it would be hard for the guard to spot her up there, and his positioning suggested to her that he was situated so that he'd be ready to shoot if somebody opposite were to strike Paulo down as opposed to above him.

Lydia was just fortunate that luck was on her side that night. Keeping her cool though, the woman kept herself steady and waited for the right moment. After another twenty or so minutes, Rodgeoueirz finally went into the bathroom.

Now was her chance. Lydia poised her finger on the trigger, ready to fire. Could she really do this?

She watched as one of the brats made their way to the bathroom door and banged on it, and her mark crossed the room to open the door to them.

Face blank, Lydia squeezed the trigger.


	3. Introduction

"Regardless to say, I am impressed. You have exceeded my expectations, Miss Melrose."

Lydia gave a nod. "Thank you, sir."

Giovanni crossed his arms and stared at her diligently.

It had been two days now since Lydia's assassination of Paulo Rodgeoueirz and now the woman stood once again before Giovanni in his office. It was hard for Lydia to tell whether she had a future or not with the company at this point, having received little to no information about her task and the overall outcome of her performance, since her brief review two nights prior. Once Rodgeoueriz had been killed, she administered a mind wiping serum to the knocked out guard and then fled. The agent had been waiting to pick her up.

"The news of Rodgeoueirz death has spread fast. This is a major financial blow to the cartel. Thanks to your efforts, the operations have ceased and we have halted a major underground crime syndicate. One that has bugged me for years, so to say." He squeezed his glass of whiskey so tight that the glass cracked and glass showered his desk. He seemed unfazed by this, let alone injured. Lydia stared before quickly looking back at him.

Giovanni stared hard at her. "I assigned Rodgeoueirz to you because I knew this would be no easy task for you, and I am aware that you were almost apprehended."

"At one point, yes." Lydia responded. "I apologize."

"No need. Despite that mishap, you carried out your task successfully and exceeded my expectations, as I previously stated. "This being your first assassination as well."

"Thank you sir."

Giovanni stood up. "That being said, I would like to welcome you aboard, Miss Melrose."

Lydia's eyes widened for a moment or so. "Truly?"

Giovanni gave a nod. "I have based my decision on not only your performance, but your overall approach to the situation. The other recruits did not act how I would have expected, foolishly allowing themselves to be captured or simply too incompetent to properly kill their targets. I eliminated out those as I believed would be unable to carry out future tasks provided by my company. Only two ultimately satisfied my requirements, and you were one of them. Congratulations."

"Thank you sir, I appreciate it."

Giovanni gave a nod. "Now, off you go. You are dismissed and to be at my office at 8am sharp to be informed of not only your next task, but your duty within my company. I will have your contract ready to sign."

Lydia nodded. She bowed briefly before turning and leaving. Giovanni smirked at her before looking down at his desk.

As she left, she contemplated on why he'd given her the job. She hadn't fully scouted the building and hadn't anticipated the idea that she may be caught on the rooftop, so she was surprised that Giovanni had let that go. She had been sure it would result in instant dismissal. She decided it didn't matter, she had ensured herself the position and she was glad about it.

Heading home to her apartment, Lydia picked up something to eat, taking a moment to observe a news bulletin on Rodgeoueriz's death on the diner TV and for once in her life, feeling proud.

At 8am sharp the following morning, Lydia was back in front of Giovanni's desk.

"Good morning, Miss Melrose." he said sharply. "Have a seat."

Lydia bowed before proceeding forward, and sitting down opposite her new boss. She felt something brush across her leg and looked down to see his Persian passing by her underneath the desk. She twitched a little, never having been very fond of cats. Giovanni noticed her slight disgust, but smiled. Almost as if he had anticipated such a reaction.

"Ah, not a cat person, I see."

Lydia just stared at him, having nothing to say on the matter since her actions were obvious. He cleared his throat and pet the feline on the head as he continued.

"Then, you may not be as fond of your assignment as I would have hoped."

"...Oh?"

He gave a nod. "You will see what I mean once we address that matter. Now Miss Melrose," he pushed a piece of paper and pen towards her.

"This is your contract. You will be bound to my company for the rest of your working life with no admission to quit or leave should you please. Only under the following circumstances, whether it be, A, you die, or B, you are made redundant by ONLY myself, is this option possible. By signing this contract you hereby allow me full possession of your identity. Everything you know and have come to love is nothing put past to you. Team Rocket is your new life and future. You will commit to your assignments or tasks without resentment or fail, and to do so will result in immediate termination or is punishable by death under extreme circumstance. You are mine now, Lydia. I only hire the best and I feel as though you will prove very useful to me and my company."

Lydia just stared back at him. She was basically becoming another pawn in his company. His strong tones did not scare her in the slightest despite his hulk-like physique.

"Sign here, and here. If you comply, welcome aboard. If not, now is your chance to leave but you must bear in mind that should you leave, your offer will be discarded and you will never be offered another placement within my company again."

Lydia gave a nod. She sat and thought for a moment or so, before picking up the pen and signing the contract.

"Well done, Miss Melrose." He said, standing up and shaking her hand. "Here is your uniform. Someone will be here shortly to escort you to your locker. From now on, you will be simply referred to as Agent 729B. Your codename is Viper."

Lydia gave another nod.

"Good good... now, off you go. Meet me shortly for your first assignment."

"Yes sir."

As Lydia left, Giovanni gazed over the contract before putting it into his drawer.

"Let's see how well you handle... _this."_

* * *

It wasn't long until Giovanni was leading Lydia down to her first, and apparently major, assignment. The woman contemplated briefly as she walked behind the man, eyeing his massive physical structure and orange business suit. It was rare he ever wore anything else.

If Giovanni had emotions, it was yet to be seen. She almost envied him for his sociopathy and his ability to mask himself behind his fortress. He had no regard or respect for life, only those that truly mattered to him, which were select few and most of those were involved in his business. He thrived off not only his ego, but his power and money. He damn well knew he was rich and would potentially remain that way up until his death, should it ever occur. Team Rocket was forever expanding and Lydia was confident that within the next twenty years the organization would dominate most of the global business networks.

Giovanni only cared about his success, not about the fall of others. He used people and Pokemon as he pleased; they were his relevant tools to success. His greed was astounding, but the very key in propelling him to his position today. He had no friends, and those he did have he had pushed away without a second thought, even if years of friendship had been involved. He was a true rock fortress of a man and Lydia couldn't help but wonder why her father's friendship with him was still solid.

The woman continued to ponder up until she halted as the man came to a stop before her. He stood aside and a large metal door opened. She was brought forth into what appeared to be a large medieval appearing gym and then led down another metal corridor and into a room.

She looked around.

"Bring him in."

Giovanni's tone was sharp. Facing her new boss, Lydia noticed his expression falter, if slightly.

"Miss Melrose, this task will be no easy one, I assure you. But, I have concluded that you are the most suitable candidate and I have every confidence in you that you will succeed. Should you fail, you have no second chances. So, do not disappoint me."

He leaned close to her and seethed the last part of her sentence close to her face. It was unnerving, and she pulled back slightly. Still, she harboured her emotions and remained stolid. His breath was disgusting, reeking of morning coffee.

Still though, Lydia gave a nod. This was the one man she did not want to piss off on her first day. Giovanni turned as a door opened and another Team Rocket agent entered. Lydia stared, but it wasn't at the guard, it was at what was _behind_ him.

It was a Pokémon, no doubt, but it was massive, towering above them all. Encased in a metal suit of armour, only darkness could be seen behind it's visor. Lydia stared the Pokemon down. While it's face was shadowed, she could see the rest of it's body. Best put, it resembled a humanoid-feline and appeared as almost a blend of the two, save for it's legs and the long violet tail trailing behind it.

"Miss Melrose, I would like to introduce you to Mewtwo," Giovanni trailed off for a moment. "He is a fighting Pokémon I had commissioned two or so years ago and is my comrade. Quite the expense, mind you, but worth every cent."

"...Fighting?" Lydia asked, looking at it's tail. It's arms looked scrawny and those paws looked practically useless – three large circular orbs replacing any type of fingers. She could see the Pokémon flinch.

"Yes, fighting. Mewtwo may not appear as a fighting type, but he fights in a different kind of way. With his mind."

"Oh so a psychic then."

Giovanni gave a nod. "And a brutally strong one at that! In fact, cloned from the rare Mew, he is considered the strongest Pokémon to currently exist and does me proud on many the occasion!"

"Impressive." Lydia responded dryly. She hated cats and she really hated people that gloated about them. That included Giovanni, even if she knew she couldn't blow this.

Giovanni just tsked at her, sensing her disdain from their previous conversation. "Now now Miss Melrose, this is where you come into the situation," he responded, prompting the woman to look away from the Pokemon and at him.

"Mewtwo has been training in my gym as my battle partner. I am his current trainer. However, due to an inconsistent schedule, recently I have not had as much time to train him and have had to pass him off to my assistants. Mewtwo hasn't been happy about this, but there is very little I can do about it. So, I am assigning you as his trainer while I revoke my status as the Viridian Gym leader for the time being."

Lydia's eyes widened. She saw the Pokémon flinch again, but it made no movement other than that.

"Yes, Miss Melrose. From this moment forth your days will consist of primarily assisting to not only Mewtwo's daily routine, but providing his on-going training. You will be responsible for his diet and meals and you will provide to him as his general caretaker."

"All of that? But... sir, I am sorry, I do not speak Pokémon."

Giovanni raised a hand. "Do not 'but' me, Miss Melrose, otherwise you will most certainly find yourself on your own 'butt' when I boot you out the door."

Lydia shut her mouth at that, but continued. "Sorry sir, I just meant... how will I be able to train this Pokémon of yours if I cannot speak with it?"

"I would not worry about that. Now, my assistant and supervisor Mr Davies will run you along Mewtwo's schedule and show you to his facilities. Everything you need to know is on his documentation. You begin now. I will check back later in the day to ensure you are sticking to your task and explain the purpose behind this, as I do not have the time to now."

Lydia let out an inward sigh, but complied with her new boss. She had no choice. Of all the Pokémon she had to be paired up with, it was a freaking cat. Since the thing did not move much, she wasn't sure if Giovanni was all too sure of what he was doing. He spoke highly of the thing, so why would he think she of all people was best suited to such a role?

She didn't have much time to think about it as Davies stepped over to her and the massive Pokémon. "Follow me. You too."

Giovanni bid them goodbye, before Lydia was led back out into the gym. She ignored the stares from the others there, and could sense the massive Pokémon walking behind her. She quickened her pace. Davies brought her down another corridor and up a flight of stairs, but as she turned to look behind her she noticed the Pokémon was no longer following them and gave a sigh of relief.

"Wasn't that thing just behind us?"

"I would refrain from addressing Mewtwo as a mere 'thing' Miss Melrose, especially if you will be engaging with this Pokemon for the remainder of his training. He's already waiting for us."

Lydia was about to ask what the hell he meant, when she jumped at the sight of the Pokémon already ahead of them at the top of the stairs. Figuring it was some psychic trick, she just grumbled slightly and let Davies walk ahead of her. Not only was this thing a cat, it was a psychic too. Two things she hated the most combined into one. Psychic's were prestigious high-class uppertyfucks in her opinion. The corridor narrowed and Davies eventually stopped outside of a room, opening up the door. Inside was a small bedroom and bathroom. It was an usual thing to see in a building as modern as the Team Rocket Headquarters, though the gym had been pushing it.

"This is Mewtwo's quarters. When he is resting or sleeping, this is where he is situated. You are to ensure that he returns to here every day. In the morning, you will be here to wake him up and bring him down to being his training sessions. In the afternoon, you will take him here to rest if he is tired. In the evening, you will ensure he goes to bed on schedule. You are responsible for him now, Miss Melrose, and trust me, if you fuck this up just ONCE... you're out of here."

Davies sneered at her. Lydia just brushed him off. He wasn't Giovanni. "Whatever."

"I'm warning you, Miss Melrose. And thats 'SIR.'"

"Yes... _SIR."_  
  
The man pushed the clipboard he was holding into her hands, and then walked off, leaving her with the massive armoured cat. She looked down at the papers on the clipboard, inwardly groaning. Her first day at a new job and she was left to babysit her boss's big bad Pokemon. Wonderful.

Lydia looked around for any other signs of life, only to be met with little success. The place seemed abandoned. For a seemingly huge secure place such as Team Rocket there wasn't much to look at in this area. In fact, the area seemed like a much older part of the building.

She looked back at the massive Pokémon. It was still standing there.

"So... uh..." she started to say. "What happens first? You know this schedule better than I do."

It didn't move or respond. Fantastic.

Lydia went into it's quarters and looked around briefly. There was nothing much to see. The Pokémon stood at the doorway and seemed to watch her but she couldn't tell if it actually was as it still had the visor on. If anything, the room seemed out of place in the facility. Far more modernised than the area outside. At least the massive bed looked comfy. She went over and planted herself down onto it.

(Get off.)

Lydia jumped as she heard a masculine voice seethe, and looked around quickly before realising where it had come from and eyed the visor. The violet tail was lashing slightly.

"Oh, so you can talk then," Lydia responded. "And this whole time I thought maybe the cat had it's own tongue."

He growled. (I am not an 'it.')

"Oh?" Lydia looked up at that. She still remained on his bed. "Then what are you, some kind of super feline?"

At that he reached up and pulled off the visor. Lydia was startled for a moment to find a very humanoid face looking back at her, two amethyst eyes gleaming in anger. It made her pause. The Pokémon was unlike anything she'd ever seen before. She almost felt lost in his gaze for a moment but pulled herself out of it.

(No. I despise being stuck with somebody as infuriating and uptight as you, but my brother requests it and I shall respect his decision.)

Lydia snorted at that. "Wait... _brother?_ "

She would need to ask the boss about that. She stifled her laughter but realised that the Pokémon was being serious.

(Yes... _brother.)_ he sneered, telepathic voice sounding pissed. (Now, get off my bed. And if you _don't_ mind, I would much rather be addressed as 'he' than 'it.')

Lydia moved when _he_ came forth. She grimaced and stood up. "How the hell are you related to the boss...?!"

(I just _am._ )

She flinched herself as he darted past her swiftly and brushed the corner of his bed as if disgusted that she'd been on it. He confirmed it to her with what he spoke next.

(This is my personal area. How dare you just come in here and intrude like this.)

"Listen cat-man, I'm your new trainer. I'll come in here as I please. Deal with it."

He glared at her.

"The feelings mutual, kitty cat."

His tail lashed again and she jumped back, not wanting to be hit by it. She distracted herself from him by looking at his schedule and then looking at her watch. "So according to this, your training starts in half hour. What do you do before that, sit up here pushing a ball of yarn around or trying to catch a mouse?"

(What the hell is with your disrespectful attitude?)

She paused at that, but glared again. He continued.

(I do NOT do any of those things and quite frankly I find it appalling you would think so.)

"So what _do_ you do then."

( _Read_.)

That wasn't exactly the answer she'd been expecting. She stared in shock for a moment or so before gruffing hastily. She looked around his quarters again.

"Well, do I have your permission to at least sit here? I don't exactly want to stand for the next half hour!" she asked, pulling out a chair.

He just grunted at her. She took that as a yes and pulled out the chair, eyeing a bowl of fruit on the table before her.

"Hungry?"

He eyed her. (Not really.)

"Well, according to your schedule I'm supposed to ensure you're fed. Want something?"

(No.)

She rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on! I hate this as much as you do, but at least I'm trying here! Give me some sympathy!"

He rolled his own eyes. (No. I do not want anything because I just _ate._ )

"Oh... well, hmph then. Can't blame a girl for tryin'!" Lydia crossed her arms and looked away from him. He just shook his head.

Lydia put her hands to her head. This was going to be a long day.


	4. Performance Issues

"Fuck. My. Life." Lydia spat in time with her motions of thumping her head against the cubicle wall.

Thick with disdain, she slumped back just a bare inch or so from the flush trigger. The escape into the women's lavatory had been a split momentary decision, but it was what she needed and she didn't give a damn about how long 'he' was waiting outside of there for her. It hadn't even been two hours since her first meeting with Mewtwo and already she wanted to quit. Not only was he a freaking _cat_ but he was one that talked on top of that, and to piss her off even further, he was one that was a high-class uppertyfuck PSYCHIC. The combination of all three in one was enough to make her nauseated. She could bare the bluntest and most arrogant pricks society would throw at her, but he was another story. Instead of being intimidated by her he could reason with her, and that annoyed the hell out of her. She didn't want it to be the opposite way around, considering she was HIS trainer.

She hated looking into that thing's eyes. Because once she did so, she was stuck in his gaze for reasons she couldn't even begin to comprehend herself. For the most part she'd stared at his nose instead, or had become fascinated by his pointed ears. Or even those sharp fangs she'd seen on the odd (more so rare) occasion he sneezed or opened his mouth during the two hours she'd spent with him. She even wondered if he had a sandpaper tongue.

How the hell was she going to get through this? The fact that this Pokemon was sentient on top of all of that made her want to punch his visor through his face. The snide, intelligent ring to his telepathic speech irritated her. Even more so when she'd realised what she was hearing through it – the slight reminiscence of her boss. As much as she wanted to deny it, staring at him gave her a brief insight into his elaborate story about the boss being his brother; she could literally _see_ Giovanni's features in his face the more she looked at him. The same slanted eyes, same firm mouth. Same sinister attitude towards everything and everyone. Mewtwo mimicked his 'brother' accurately. She had to give him credit though, perhaps he _wasn't_ making that one up after all.

Lydia left the lavatory after splashing down her face. He stood there, like a statue and apparently hadn't moved from his position since she went in there nearly twenty minutes ago.

She stared. "Does that armour restrict you that much or something?"

(Excuse me?)

"You! Have your muscles atrophied or seized up or something? You haven't moved an inch!"

(Do I have reason to?)

She snarled at him. He just stared back at her blankly but she could have sworn his left eyebrow raised up a bit.

Lydia shook her head in annoyance and pulled out the clipboard. "So what's next then. Tuna bake with the extra fishy bits on top or the daily claw trimming?"

He almost threw his visor at her. She jerked back.

(I tire of this! It has been a mere two hours and any effort you have made to heed to your duties so far has been plagiarised by your apparent need to wallow in your despair about having to train me! If your life is truly so bad then leave! I am only adhering to my brothers wishes and I _am_ more than capable of looking after myself!)

"Oh, that I'm sure you are!" she retorted. He snarled at her at that, which in turn made her grin.

"Ooh, big bad-ass kitty cat."

(Fuck off.)

"Language."

He just shook his head. Lydia waved a finger at him.

(Just read me the schedule.)

"Yes master."

At that he growled.

Not sure for how much longer she could bottle her annoyance, Lydia flipped open the document and looked at what was supposed to happen next. So far he'd eaten and done his basic warm up training. According to the schedule, now he was supposed to battle for three hours in the gym, followed by a round of... 'Intense ESP consolidation'.

Lydia pondered on what that was exactly. She knew what ESP meant but why would they need to consolidate anything?

"Gym time," she said as she flipped the paper back over. "Time to get fitty-kitty," she paused. "Oh, and followed by some ESP thing."

He stared at her for a moment. It only took half a second, not even that but she saw an almost scared look cross his features. It bothered her far more than it should have.

Mewtwo wordlessly put his visor back on and started to walk in the direction of the the gym, Lydia following close behind him, trying not to be put off by his long purple tail constantly swinging into her view.

* * *

Quite a few had gathered to watch Mewtwo train. One particular person, Roberta Salford stood out the most among the uniform clad agents. She was a scientist from another organisation. Bright red hair and a contorted leeching expression made her look similar to a witch. She reminded Lydia of a bird in the way she constantly nitpicked at every little detail of the gym, whether it be the cracks in the walls or the or the paint-chipped ceilings. After doing so, she would vigorously present different photographs of her headquarters in her long, cracked fingers to Giovanni's scientists. Giovanni himself was seated above Lydia up on a rafter in the gym, looking down.

Lydia was seated for the time being also, Davies beside her. Since it was her first day of training, he took over while this 'visit' of authority figures was taking place. Lydia hadn't minded that as it meant more time away from the cat. She stared across blankly to Mewtwo. He was sitting down opposite side of the gym to her, still in the armour. Beside him, an agent appeared to be instructing him. The Pokemon was motionless, as per usual and Lydia wondered if words actually sunk in.

When she noticed his visor turn swiftly in her direction, she supposed they did. God damn uppertyfuck psychic.

Lydia simply flashed him a grin and waved.

"This is an important day for Giovanni."

Lydia looked at Davies as he addressed her, legs crossed but nodding his head in Mewtwo's direction.

"Depending on Mewtwo's performance, it means potential funding for the gym. He hasn't invested into the infrastructure of this place in a long time, and that woman with the red hair is the key. If Mewtwo messes this up, I'd hate to think what Giovanni would do to him. He's wanted approval from that bitch for a long time. Don't know what he sees in her, but he'd rather have Mewtwo do the work for him."

At that, Lydia looked at Davies. She thought about what he'd just said to her.

"What, like... punish him?"

Davies looked at her. He smirked. "Technically, not himself. He has the others do it for him. Keeps him in check. Y'know."

Lydia stood up. "What the hell do you mean?"

"Sit down!" he barked yanking her back onto the seat. "Keep yer mouth shut."

"Get the fuck off me..!" Lydia responded, muttering under her breath but addressing the matter no further. That man was fucking _weird_.

"Viper, I suggest you mind your own business and stick to the task I have assigned you. While I have yet to see progress from you as it is only early days, so far I am unimpressed with your resistance and backlash. I hired you for a reason. Do not prove otherwise to me."

Well. Shit.

Lydia looked up above to see Giovanni staring down at her. "When this is finished, you are to come to my office. Is that clear?"

"Yes sir."

Giovanni settled himself back. Lydia gritted her teeth. She didn't think he could hear her from up there. At least she knew now where Mewtwo had inherited his good hearing from, even if his was better anyway due to being a freaking cat.

Lydia knew better than to question her boss's motives. She hated Davies enough to put a bullet in his brain but for the sake of her job she knew it was better to just respect him. Lydia didn't have any insight or information into Mewtwo's background, only what she'd been told so far, so there was no way for her to conclude how she truly felt about Mewtwo's situation. She wondered how long she would need to train him for and was hoping that Giovanni might fill her in with all of the details when she went to visit him in his office afterwards.

Surely there had to be some purpose behind training him other than just doing it for the sake of Giovanni being busy.

* * *

It wasn't long until Mewtwo came forth, under strict guidance from another scientist.

The cat stood in the middle of the gym as if to face off against another opponent, Lydia suspected. She was correct when a teenager stepped out into the arena. A Pokeball was thrown and a Gyrados emerged, the trainer now standing behind it.

"Gyrados, Hyper Beam!" he called out.

The water-dragon arched itself back and unleashed the Hyper Beam. Mewtwo just stood there. A few seconds later however, the beam reflected and was launched straight back at the Gyrados. The Pokemon was hit by it's own attack and knocked back hard into the wall.

Lydia looked up at the bird at that to see her reaction. She had no expression on her face, but after sitting like a statue for a few moments, Lydia noticed her pluck a device from her pocket. She started to write onto it with a stylus. Looking back to the arena, she could see the trainer consoling his Gyrados, which was down for the count.

The scientist thumped his hand on Mewtwo's armour, grinning gleefully before stepping back again. The cat didn't move, even as the next trainer came forth, unleashing a Golem from a Pokeball strapped to his belt. Lydia was in awe. It was by far the biggest Golem she'd ever seen – at least twice as big as a normal one.

"Smack Down!" the trainer roared, and the massive boulder charged at the cat to begin the attack, but Mewtwo simply raised up that oddly shaped paw of his and the Golem froze stiff before being lifted up into the air. The trainer nearly tripped over himself, and Lydia was quite certain she wasn't the only person in the arena who's jaw dropped open that day.

Mewtwo _lifted_ the Pokemon high up into the air with nothing but the power of his mind. The Golem flailed about, utterly helpless under the psychic's mental grip, before Mewtwo slammed it into the ground and it cried out in pain. From that height no doubt something had broken. The cat had lifted it to the ceiling which was at least two stories above them.

"Golem! NO!"

The trainer rushed forth and went to the Pokemon's side. Lydia sat in shock. She'd never seen such a strong display of power before. Not even a human psychic was capable of the feat Mewtwo had just performed. Giovanni wasn't lying when he said Mewtwo was the strongest Pokemon by far and Lydia was bound to believe by that point that he was possibly the strongest in the world. The bird was bound to be impressed, but when Lydia looked up the same stoic look was on her face. She had stopped writing.

'Oh come on! He deserves something for that!' Lydia thought, but then noticed the woman stand up and look towards Giovanni. The man was beaming.

...until Mewtwo fell down, that was. The cat's knees buckled beneath him.

The woman watched this and hesitated, before gesturing for him to sit down again as she sat back down in her place. Giovanni's expression faltered and he also sat back down, looking confused as well as irritated.

The scientist beside Mewtwo was instantly at the cat's side. Lydia had no idea what was going on, but Mewtwo eventually stood up. She frowned. Something wasn't right. She could hear the scientist yelling at him from across the grounds but couldn't make out what he was saying.

Before he'd been standing strong, but now she noticed his slight falters.

"Damn fool!" Davies muttered beside her. "Don't disappoint him again!"

Lydia looked at him. "Disappoint him again? What do you mean?"

Davies looked at her out the corner of his eye. "Giovanni didn't get funding last time because Mewtwo under-performed at the last moment."

Lydia frowned. She thought back to what she'd heard before about the intense round of ESP consolidation. She didn't think he was under-performing at all but then again, she also wasn't the one judging. But that display of power was unlike anything she'd ever seen before. How could one not be impressed by that?

"What happens if the cat messes up this time?" she asked.

Davies eyed her. "My guess is that you probably won't be seeing Mewtwo for a few days, should it go how I think it should, although it depends entirely on Giovanni."

She stared at him again, but he didn't elaborate further. The next trainer was sent out. This time with a hefty looking Machamp. It wasn't unusually big like the last one this time, but she noticed the slight twitch in Mewtwo's tail. There was no denying it.

He wasn't confident about this fight.

She looked up at Giovanni again, only this time to find him gripping the banister in front of him so tightly his knuckles were going red. He looked pissed.

The trainer issued an attack at the Machamp and it charged for the cat. Mewtwo seemed frozen for a moment, but then he leaped out of the way in one swift bound, powerful hind legs propelling him up into the air like a springboard. The Machamp nearly stumbled and fell over in shock, looking up at the cat. Lydia didn't think it had been expecting that.

Neither did anybody else apparently.

"..Champ?" it voiced in it's confusion.

Mewtwo landed behind the now confused Pokemon on all fours, tail whipping the air behind him.

"What the fuck is he doing...?" Lydia could hear Davies mutter.

The Machamp ran for the cat again but Mewtwo just jumped out of the way again. This happened multiple times before finally the Machamp finally predicted where the cat would land and punched the feline hard upon his landing. Lydia heard his cry from across the stadium and her eyes widened in surprise at the sound of a physical voice.

"Two!"

Mewtwo flew backwards and slammed into the barrier of the arena. He slumped forward and stood up onto one leg in a crouch.

(Damn you...)

Lydia looked up at that, quickly looking around to see if anybody else had heard the telepathic voice. It was seemingly only her. Giovanni was standing up by this point, nearly leaning right over the banister, eyes focused sharply on the battle. He didn't seem concerned about how far he was actually over it.

The Machamp lunged for the cat again but he rolled to the side, dust whipping up from the stadium ground. He skidded to a halt and braced himself as the Machamp unleashed a Rock Tomb on him as commanded by the trainer.

The cat barely had time to look up before the rocks hit him. He covered his head with his arms. Giovanni slumped down in his seat and she heard Davies slam the bench with his fist beside her.

She swallowed. Was the funding really _that_ important?

Finally though, there was swift blue psychic beam and a loud 'crack' whipped through the air. The Machamp cried out before being flung hard across the stadium. It hit the barrier before falling, finally defeated. Once again the trainer rushed forth to see if his buddy was okay.

Mewtwo was panting. Lydia looked up to see Giovanni had his head in his hands by this point.

"...the crap's goin on?" she mumbled to nobody in particular when everybody around her suddenly stood up at once.

There was more commotion behind her and she looked up to see the bird get up and start to leave, beckoning to her lackeys to follow, which they did hastily. She looked disgusted. Giovanni's reaction to this was to cry out.

"Wait! Mrs Salford! Please! I beg of you to reconsider!"

Her boss hastily made his way down from the rafters and followed her out of the arena. Before she could react, Davies stood up beside her, nearly knocking her over and charged over to the area where Mewtwo was. She could see him yelling at the scientist but couldn't hear their heated exchange. Her focus was on Mewtwo.

The cat was sitting on the ground by this point. Davies knelt beside him and she could see the furious look on his face. But what happened next made her breath catch in her throat.

Davies punched Mewtwo's visor so hard the glass shattered. The cat fell over from the impact.

"GET UP!" she heard him roar, and the cat lay still for a moment before pushing himself up shakily.

Lydia jerked up, swinging her body over the railings to go over to them and rip Davies a new asshole, but an arm blocked her. "Giovanni wants to see you."

Ignoring the annoying idiot, she pushed his arm aside and went to go around him, however she was blocked again.

"Get out of my fucking WAY dipshit!"

"NOW, VIPER."

"FINE!" Lydia spat as the grunt started to push her out of the arena. She tried looking back only to see Davies and some of the other scientists drag Mewtwo out of there by the arm. He could barely keep up with them.

Lydia remembered that strange, almost scared look she'd seen on Mewtwo's face before they'd left for the arena over an hour ago.

By that point she knew something was wrong.


	5. Kinship

"I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS."

Lydia watched her boss as he stormed about his office. He went back to his desk before he slammed his fist onto it. His Persian ran and cowered in the corner, sensing her master's anger. Giovanni was known for his tempers, but she'd never seen him quite like this before.

The woman was quiet. She didn't know what to say. Eventually he calmed down and slumped into his chair.

"This is the second time he's done this now. I've no chance of getting the funding I required."

Lydia cleared her throat. She knew she would need to tread with caution.

"Can I ask what exactly the funding is for, sir?"

Giovanni gave her a sharp look. "The building where Mewtwo's quarters was built is quite old, I am sure you've noticed. It's beginning to fall apart. In place of it I wanted to extend my research facilities. The equipment I purchased a few months ago sits stowed away in there considering there is not enough space left to set it up. With the building renovated, I would be able to expand my facilities and set up the equipment, which is completely vital for my research and expanding Team Rocket's resourcing."

He clenched his fists. "I presented that Salford woman some design blueprints. She approved them, but wanted good reason for funding me. She is aware of my gym and it's reputation, so she wanted to see it for herself, however with Mewtwo recently under-performing, it's deterred her view. I thought I would meet her standards with him being my most powerful Pokemon."

Lydia nodded.

"Mewtwo... told me something interesting."

Giovanni looked closely at her, folding his hands beneath his chin and leaning forward on his desk.

"Go on."

"He said that you two were brothers."

Giovanni just stared at her at that. She wasn't sure if he was going to answer her, before he sighed.

"The term 'brother' is not one I would use personally, but Mewtwo has adapted to it. However, since it pleases him in some sense, I have not had an issue with him using it."

He paused for a moment, staring at a picture on his desk before continuing. "When I commissioned him, the project came to a halt for a month or so. His creator, Yamata Fujimoto, informed me a link was missing. Without this specific link, the Pokemon's DNA pattern could not be achieved nor created. There was not enough of Mew's DNA and the other Pokemon's DNA simply would not bond without something else to stabilise it and keep the structure together. There was no other DNA that could be used as it was incompatible. It was a complicated situation, and Fujimoto was stressed to the point he nearly quit on me. It took some serious convincing to get him to continue the project, so I told him I'd give him the funding to work on a project of his own alongside the project he was doing for me."

"Oh?"

Giovanni nodded. "Because of that, it motivated him to continue. He eventually figured out what the missing link was."

Lydia was more than surprised by this. "Human DNA?" she guessed, although it was fairly obvious.

"Correct. I donated."

The woman was in disbelief. It certainly explained that strange feeling that had come over her when she'd seen Mewtwo's features for the first time. She had felt as though she'd been looking at another person, not a Pokemon.

"A half human Pokemon..." she mused. She'd never knew such a thing could exist.

"Keep this information to yourself, Viper. The others are aware of Mewtwo referring to me as his brother however they have no idea that he actually is half human and biologically related to me. They think he is just a sentient being due to his psychic powers and Mew's DNA, as well as the fact that I raised him like a close friend of mine and it prompted him to use the term."

Lydia tilted her head slightly.

"Why... so secretive about it sir, if you don't mind my asking."

Giovanni sighed through his nose and looked off to the side.

"It is simply due to the unwanted attention Mewtwo would receive. It would not only disrupt his schedule but his lifestyle in general. His creation itself took place on a faraway island I purchased, well out of sight and out of mind. I did so on purpose; the authorities were unaware of it and that was how it stayed. I am well aware how unethical his birth was, but I do not regret what I did in order to bring him into the world. The last thing we need is the media hounding us and if this got out it could potentially shut down Team Rocket's operations due to misconduct."

Lydia stared at him. "Why trust me with this information?" she asked quietly.

He stared back at her.

"While it is likely that you would have learned eventually, I trust you Viper. I have known your father for a long long time. He is a good man and has served me well over the years. I have no doubt you will do the same."

"Do... do you see Mewtwo as a brother?" Lydia hesitantly asked.

He raised his hand and flicked it in a so-so gesture before he picked up some paperwork and seemed more intent on reading that.

Lydia thought about their kinship.

Mewtwo had seemed so proud when he'd first informed her of his genetic status with Giovanni. She'd definitely heard a ring of pride in his telepathic voice. Giovanni however, it was like he didn't seem to care about it too much. She didn't sense any pride from him and in fact, he almost spoke in disdain about it. She didn't think too much of it for the time being, however. Instead, she brought up Mewtwo's current status, prompting Giovanni to sit up.

"Oh yes. About that Viper, I wanted to ask you if anything happened during the time you were accompanying him to cause him to under-perform as bad as he did today."

Lydia froze. She couldn't read his stoic expression, but she knew he was pissed just from the tone of his voice.

"No sir. We didn't exactly get along so to say, but I do not believe it was enough to cause him to under-perform on you."

"I see. I will be speaking to him shortly about this and reviewing CCTV footage."

Lydia wondered what he was going to say. The footage analysis didn't bother her as she spoke the truth. She remembered something.

"Um, sir?"

He eyed her, so she continued.

"I saw something on his schedule which I'm curious about. ESP consolidation? Or something like that?"

Giovanni stared at her. He eventually nodded.

"My team runs tests on him to measure the capabilities of his powers. I supervise this, of course, however recently I have not been able to."

Lydia thought back to the scared look she'd seen on the cat's face.

"What... exactly do those tests comprise of sir?"

"Just the basics, Viper. Brain wave functions, heart rate, fluid checks to name a few. We monitor his health closely."

"So... you don't actually make him do anything? Just check his vitals?"

Giovanni shook his head. "Not exactly, although some tests we have him demonstrate his psychic powers to measure how strong he is currently. Since he's a powerhouse, we use the armour to restrict his powers to a certain level. He's still learning to control them. He has the potential to blow up this building if he truly wanted to and kill all of us in it, as well as tear a man apart with just with a simple glimpse," he paused. "Some of my staff know that from experience."

Lydia almost shuddered at hearing that. "He's that powerful?"

Giovanni stared at her, expression mirroring that of the cat's so accurately she thought for a moment she was looking at Mewtwo. The only difference was that Mewtwo didn't have hair.

"He is, Viper. Which is why he must not remove the armour on grounds."

"Then how does he sleep? I'd imagine that would be uncomfortable."

"It would be. While he is confined to his quarters, he wears one of these."

Giovanni opened up the top drawer of his desk and searched through the contents for a moment before holding what looked like a collar up to her.

"What is it?"

"An inhibitor collar. I've had a small chip implanted into the mutation at the back of his skull. When the collar is on, it limits his power. He can use his powers, but not at full capacity."

"But... couldn't he simply just not wear it?"

"Precisely why I implanted the chip, Viper. Once he removes the armour entirely, he has 43 seconds to locate the collar and put it on otherwise the chip will completely paralyse him."

Lydia's face contorted at that. This Pokemon considered this man a brother?

"What if he needs to shower or something?"

"It's waterproof. Bulletproof. Fireproof... whatever you want to name it. But most importantly, Mewtwo proof."

"Couldn't Mewtwo just like... vaporise it or something? The chip I mean."

"That would trigger a kill-switch connected to his heart. If he does that, the device will restrict his heart from beating."

This man. Lydia stared at him in disbelief, unable to comprehend he was this much of an evil bastard. Then again, he was a powerful mafia boss. Lydia was cold, but not to the extent of her boss.

She only killed those that deserved to die.

"Has Mewtwo ever, y' know. Rebelled?"

"Against others, yes. That was a messy day." He seemed a little lost as he recalled something, but Lydia didn't want to press it.

"And you?"

"No. He trusts me. Not to mention, I control his very life."

Lydia was very surprised to hear that. The man must have brainwashed him.

"Anyway, the reason I called you here today was to explain to you why I cannot run the gym and provide Mewtwo's training as of current. I have been called interstate to work on a major project. This project is vital to Team Rocket's expansion overseas. So, three days a week I will be over there, working on this project. This will go on for the next seven months. I will not have time to dedicate to Mewtwo considering I will be busy working here during the days I am not interstate."

Lydia nodded.

"So. If you prove to me you can handle Mewtwo and fulfil my orders, once you are finished after the seven months, then I will determine if you will be moved up to a higher rank. This will include pay benefits and overseas missions."

"Really? Sweet!"

Giovanni nodded. "I've always had faith in you, Viper. As long as you do not let me down, I am happy for you to work in my company. You'll do your father proud."

Lydia smiled slightly at that.

"However, you have a long way to go. For now, stick to the routine I have provided for you and ensure Mewtwo is trained. I will be monitoring your progress, so do not slack off."

Lydia nodded. Though one question still bugged her. Giovanni eyed her as she stood there, waiting for her to move.

"Yes?"

"If Mewtwo has your DNA, and the other scientists run tests on him... then wouldn't they know you're related?"

Giovanni paused before answering. "They are forbidden to do any blood-work on him, only basic tests such as what I mentioned before. I have a separate team for that I call upon when necessary who are aware and partook in his creation," he explained. "Now go. I have things to attend to."

The woman gave a slight bow, before turning to leave. Just as she was about to open the door, she remembered what she had witnessed in the stadium. Giovanni hadn't seen it as he'd left to follow the bird. She turned back to him.

"Sir?"

He sighed, looking irritated. "What is it, Viper? I have things to do."

She stared at him. "I...um. Never mind."

"Then leave. Now. You can have a rest while Mewtwo is being attended to as I still need to see him about his performance myself."

"Yes sir."

Lydia turned quickly and opened the door, leaving his office. She was going to bring up Mewtwo's beating but had changed her mind at the last second. Perhaps it was just a one-off thing and Davies was really just that pissed Giovanni didn't get the funding. She decided then, however, that she was going to keep an eye on it. It seemed far too harsh, even for her taste and this was coming from a woman that had killed grown men with families without remorse. She didn't like Mewtwo but she didn't want to see a Pokemon simply being used for the man's benefit to suffer.

She turned and headed for Mewtwo's quarters, guessing it was her room now too considering Giovanni had never assigned her one of her own.

* * *

Lydia had been busy hunting for an extra bed when her pager buzzed. She knew there had to be one in there somewhere and eventually had found an ancient fold down bed in the closet of the quarters. She sat upon it, nearly making contact with the floor as the old bed sagged beneath her weight, before looking at the device.

_Mewtwo is finished with me. Come and get him, my office._

Lydia stared at the message, before huffing and looking around the messy room. She hoped the cat wouldn't give her shit about sort of pulling apart his quarters in search of an extra blanket.

The woman pulled on her jacket and headed out to Giovanni's office.

As she approached the facility where his office was, she noticed Davies and two scientists walking away from there. Davies was laughing about something. Her eyes narrowed.

That man was such an _asshole._ She was tempted to go up to his unsuspecting backside and kick it into another dimension, but she just grit her teeth angrily instead.

She approached Giovanni's office door and was about to knock when she heard his voice. She looked up for a camera and upon not seeing one, she put her ear to the door, curious. It sounded like he was talking to himself but she quickly realised he was talking to Mewtwo.

"...don't do that again. You've put me in this situation now and it's vital that it doesn't happen again. What do you expect me to do?"

Mewtwo must have answered something to him because he was quiet before speaking again.

"I don't believe you. I am this close to cutting it off."

 _'Cutting it off?'_ Lydia frowned.

There was silence again and she heard Giovanni sigh.

"You bet I will!"

Lydia bit her lip and stood back, before knocking on the door. After a few moments it opened to reveal Giovanni. She peered inside and noticed Mewtwo sitting in there with his back to her. She was surprised for a moment or so when she realised he wasn't in the armour, but instead had that collar around his neck.

"Viper. Good. Mewtwo and I were just finishing up our discussion."

Lydia stepped into the office slightly and Giovanni stepped aside, allowing her to see him wholly. There was a patch over his left eye and a bandage around his upper right arm. She couldn't help but stare at his human-like structure until Giovanni cleared his throat and she pulled her gaze away.

"W-what happened?" she asked. Mewtwo wouldn't look at her.

"Just some tests. He is fine. Now, please, take him away as I have work to do. I've allowed him the rest of the day off and dismissed his performance as being due to mild fatigue."

For some reason, Lydia didn't believe him, but regardless, she gestured to the cat with her head and he stood up and followed her to leave the office. She noticed him and Giovanni look at each other briefly, before he arched his tail into a curve behind him and stepped out the door. Lydia was right behind him.

The cat kept up his pace steady as he turned and headed in the direction of his quarters and it was interesting to watch how he walked on two digitigrade feet, considering he'd been hovering before. Lydia jogged to keep up to him. He was quiet.

Once they reached his quarters, he stepped inside. Lydia bit her lip when he paused at seeing the mess.

"Uh... yeah. About that..." she put her hand behind her head and gave him a big grin when he finally turned to look at her.

Mewtwo just sighed and said nothing. He sat down and arched himself out across his bed, kicking off some of her clothes onto the floor.

"Hey!"

(I suppose this is your room now too by the look of things.)

The woman jumped slightly as his voice boomed in her head. He sounded blunt.

(Not like I needed my privacy that much anyway I suppose.)

"Well, your _brother_ didn't exactly provide me with a room of my own and I ended up finding this bed in here and kinda put two and two together."

(...eh.)

She stared at him, but sat down on the fold-out bed. It squeaked loudly again beneath her weight.

"Are... " she hesitated. "Are you alright?"

He turned to look at her at that. (I am fine.)

"You sure as hell don't look 'fine', Mr. Cat," she quote-gestured with her fingers.

He glared at her. She arched an eyebrow at him and he just rolled away from her.

(I said I'm fine.)

Lydia stared at his back. She was nearly tempted to reach out and stroke his tail considering it was hitting her foot, but resisted. She knew she'd probably end up spending the night folded up inside in the closet bed on account of him.

She put her hand to her head and sighed.

"Look Mewtwo. I saw what happened in the gym today, okay?"

He was quiet.

"Does that normally happen?"

(What exactly do you refer to by that?) he rolled to face her, but looked as blank as ever. (The beating or my failure?)

"...The beating," she responded quietly.

His eyes narrowed. (It's normal if I fail. Don't worry about it. As I have said before, and for the third time now, I am fine.)

"That's _normal?_ " Lydia didn't want to believe it. "Like hell that's normal! He socked you in the face!"

(My eye is covered due to one of the tests today.)

"Bullshit Mewtwo!"

He turned away from her and the woman was utterly appalled at how he was denying something so obvious.

"Then explain the bandage on your arm."

(Needle.)

Lydia scoffed. "No. I would think it's because they only just fucking dragged you around the stadium or something, yeah?"

He didn't answer her.

" _Well?_ "

(Leave me alone, human.)

She stood up and marched over to him, plomping herself down beside him on his bed. "You're a damn awful liar Mr. Cat, y'know that?"

(Get off my bed!) he growled. (And stop calling me that!)

"I think not."

He bared his teeth at her and went to sit up to push her off, but winced quietly. Lydia noticed him gently hold his arm.

"...Liar."

He sighed. He tried belting her with his tail to get her off but Lydia just laughed and grabbed it, causing him to snarl at her. She smiled at him as she stroked it and felt him eventually give up, the limb going limp on her lap. She had expected him to fold her in the bed, but it was apparent he wasn't in too much of a mood to do anything. One thing she did notice however, was that his fur was very soft to the touch. She smirked, a vivid mental image entering her mind as she wondered if he sat there grooming himself with his tongue when nobody was watching.

"You're such a cat."

(No shit.)

"You might wanna watch that potty mouth of yours or no fish for you tonight, Mr. Cat."

(Shut up.)

Lydia laughed. He was too much. She let him go and went back to her squeaky bed. He just rolled onto his side again.

"...Come on Mewtwo. Even you didn't deserve that. That guy seems like a dick."

He was just quiet. Lydia sighed, knowing she wasn't going to get much out of him so she just sat on her phone for a while, kicking off her shoes in the process. She looked across to him after a while and noticed he'd fallen asleep. She stared at him.

There was no denying how obvious it was he was half human. His whole torso looked like a man's and his arms were identical to a humans save for how thin he was. Even though he had paws, the structure of his 3 fingered hands was all too human in appearance. But it was his facial features that stood out above all – he had a gaunt face; broad sharp features accompanied by a well-defined jawline. Front on he looked human enough, but looking at his face from the side she could see a muzzle. It was relatively short but it was just enough to give him the distinctive look of a cat. She swore he had whiskers but it was hard to tell. It was uncanny how much of Giovanni she could see in him. Not to mention he spoke to her more like a bratty teenager than a dignified Pokemon. Lydia could tell he was younger than her despite his intimidating stance and height. She only reached just below his chest.

It was almost hard to believe he had the power to rip a human apart just by looking at them. She shuddered, hoping he'd never feel the need to do that to her.

He was so unusual. Lydia truly had never seen anything like him before and she found him quite intriguing, so to speak.

Eventually he stirred. Lydia must have dozed off herself because she found her phone on the ground beside her. She sat up and faced him as he yawned, giving her a good view of his mouth – a unique mixture of feline and human teeth. Those fangs looked sharp.

"Tired, huh?"

He stared at her. She stood up. "Well, since you have the the rest of the day off and all, perhaps I can cook up a good dinner or something. You got a TV?"

(Yes, an old one. I don't watch it very much as I prefer to read.)

"Ya like movies?"

(Movies?)

She reeled back at that. She'd been heading into the small kitchen. "Don't tell me. You've never heard of a movie?"

(No.)

"Wow..." she paused, suckling the tip of her finger slightly. "Well then. I'll have to teach you about them then, won't I?"

(If you want to.)

"Mmm."

Lydia headed into the kitchen. She looked around for a few moments until she found what she was looking for and headed back into Mewtwo. She pulled up a chair and sat directly in front of him so that their knees were touching.

(Um... what in Arceus's name are you doing?)

She stared dumbfounded at his unusual response, blinking a few times before rolling her eyes.

"Well go on then. Let's see."

She gestured to his eye patch and his response was to sigh.

"Just do it, Mewtwo."

(Fine.)

She watched as he unsheathed what appeared to be a deadly claw out of his orbed finger, making her flinch slightly, but he used it to pull back the patch.

"Oh... so they're not that useless after all."

(Excuse me?)

"Never mind... God damn..."

As the light hit behind the patch, she could see the damage to his eye. It was black, bruised and swollen shut. Stitches lined the area just above his eyebrow and she noticed a few cuts which had been sealed over with scabs.

"...Mewtwo..."

He was quiet. She knew the glass from the visor had gone into his face. That man could have killed him if he didn't have the visor on, considering how frail his neck seemed. His head would have snapped right back. It was no wonder she saw him fall backwards when he was hit.

"Still gonna try convince me this was from a test?"

He just gave a sigh. (He punched me pretty hard. I guess I really angered him today.)

"Fucking. Dickweed."

He stared at her before a small smile appeared on his face. (….Dickweed?)

"Davies the DICKWEED." She was surprised to see that had made him smile.

(I know. I have never heard of such a term.)

"That's 'cuz I made it up when I was a kid, kitten-face."

He rolled his good eye, but let her gently attend to the wounds with the first aid kit she'd brought over. She did the same with his arm.

(Why are you doing this?) he asked her after a while. (You detested just being around me not too long ago. Something about an 'uppertyfuck psychic'. Did you have a change of mind?)

Lydia just stared at that. How did...?

He tapped a finger to his head. She rolled her eyes again. Of _course_ he could read minds _._ Damn psychic. Regardless, she continued to tend to his wound.

"I'm training you, yeah? If I'm gonna be stuck with you for the rest of the year I can't have you all broken up on me. Ya bro's trustin on me big time. Besides..." she gazed into his good eye. "...Seeing what they did to you today really struck a nerve with me. Sure I can't stand ya very much right now, but I'll be damned if they're gonna treat ya that badly when all you've done is serve them."

He seemed to accept her answer, sitting quietly as she put some ointment onto him. He stared at it curiously.

(That's not from the kit...)

She shook her head. "No. It's mine, actually. My mom gave it to me before she died. It's a herbal ointment that's derived from the bark of a tree deep in the Guana Jungle. It's supposed to help heal wounds quicker."

Lydia noticed that he seemed to flinch at that in shock at that. "You okay catboy?"

(I am fine. Continue.)

She did. Eventually she put the bottle away and stood up.

"Hungry?"

He looked at her, but then bit his lower lip with his fangs in embarrassment when she heard his stomach growl.

"And I'll take _that_ as a yes," she laughed. "So... ready for some fish?"

He just swat her away with his paw and Lydia walked into the kitchen laughing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it for now, so please let me know what you think so far! ^^


End file.
